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Are you having champagne this New Year's Eve? Why not reserve a small amount for your salad? Most champagne vinaigrette recipes use champagne vinegar. I prefer to use actual champagne. My recipe will work with either fresh or leftover bubbly. Whether it's fizzy or flat makes no difference, it's delicious.To download my recipe now in a PDF form, click here. OR read the entire blog post with extra tips and photos by scroll downing or clicking here or on the Read More link below...

"Waste not," says Mr. Fellows. Save those last few tablespoonsof New Year's champagne to make my Champagne Vinaigrette

Cleo Coyle, author ofThe Coffeehouse Mysteries

When the countdown is done, the ball has dropped, and the last of the champagne has gone flat, waste not.You know the stuff I’m talking about, those dregs in that bottle sitting in your fridge. Don’t pour that sad, fizzless liquid down the drain. Do what I do every New Year’s week. Use it to make champagne vinaigrette.

Yes, I know, champagne vinaigrette is typically made with champagne vinegar, but I prefer my version for frugality and fun. My vinaigrette is light, bright, refreshing, and the delicate flavor of champagne comes through very nicely.

A fresh salad is also an especially intelligent way to start off the New Year. Why? Lettuce is mostly water and hydrating will help set your body right after an evening imbibing to excess (aka attempting to pickle yourself).My amateur sleuth, Clare Cosi, actually received this same advice from her ex-husband, Matt, a guy highly skilled in the art of party survival...Learn more about my bestselling series of Coffeehouse Mystery novels by clicking here.

Got a hangover?

Follow of the advice of Mattand Mr. Fellows,one of my manyrescued New York strays...

“Drink lots of water. Hydrate with salad. Even better, dress those crisp, healthy, greens with a hair of the cat that bit you!"

My recipe and photos in this postwere part of a past FoodbuzzTop 9 Pick among thousands offood bloggers around the world.

Cleo Coyle’sChampagne Vinaigrette

Servings: This recipe makes about 3 tablespoons of vinaigrette, enough to dress an average salad for two.

Directions: Combine all ingredients (but the garlic) in a small bowl and whisk well with a fork. Add the garlic and let stand 15 minutes (this optional step will impart a light garlic flavor). Remove all of the raw garlic. Whisk again and pour the dressing over your favorite salad. The salad you see in my photos is one I often enjoy: romaine lettuce and mixed greens, grape tomatoes sliced in half, sunflower seeds, and dried cranberries.

Cleo's Final Tips

* Vinegar: I like white rice vinegar for this dressing, but any white vinegar will impart that needed note of astringent brightness, which will balance the sweetness of the champagne. If you don’t have any white vinegars on hand, use lemon juice to taste. I would not recommend red or balsamic vinegar for this vinairgrette. Not only will those darker, heavier vinegars overpower the delicate champagne flavor, they will change the dressing’s color and defeat the culinary concept. (Then again, if you’re hung over, snow is piling up outside, and it’s all you have on hand, it will have to do.)* The oil flavor really shines through in this vinaigrette so choose a good quality extra virgin olive oil. * Salt: sea salt and Kosher salt are much better choices than table salt for flavor. * Pepper: I often use black pepper or a pepper mix for this dressing, but if you want a really nice presentation, use white pepper. Grinding it fresh always gives you better flavor.

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I am a New York Times bestselling author who writes two mystery series for Penguin Random House in collaboration with my husband. Find out more at my *virtual* coffeehouse, my home on the Web: Coffeehouse Mystery Web Site
"I have measured out my life with coffee spoons." ~T.S. Eliot

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Cleo Coyle, who likes to wear and eat green on March 17, is author of The Coffeehouse Mysteries . Here in New York City, our S...

Affiliate Links

This blog is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.